


He Fights Like He's Dancing

by Dooiney_Oie



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Bc honestly yes he's a lovable goof, But also objectively terrifying as fuck, M/M, Me continuing to think about Actual Magical Boy Kravitz, Oh!! Also swears, Some violence but it's not particularly graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-24 10:17:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12010647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dooiney_Oie/pseuds/Dooiney_Oie
Summary: Death gets called away on the way to dinner, but this time, he forgets something.





	He Fights Like He's Dancing

 

 

They're on their way to dinner in a quiet district of Goldcliff, holding hands and laughing as Taako brags about how good this place is and how he charmed his way into getting a reservation and how Kravitz had _better fucking appreciate the effort he'd gone to_ , when the reaper feels a tug at his soul, the kind that means he has urgent work to do. 

 

Then, a second tug, this one the kind that happens when you stop walking very suddenly and the person whose hand you're holding doesn't. Surprised, Taako looks back at him, long ears drooping slightly as he sees the apology that must be written all over his face. He lets go of Kravitz's hand and starts to play with a loose strand of hair. 

 

"Oh." He's trying admirably to hold his smile in place, but not doing a very good job of it. "Duty calls once again, huh? No sweat, my man, another time. We can take a rain check." 

 

Kravitz wavers. His first priority should be his work - it's the only reason he can exist on this plane in the first place - but... however much he's trying to brush it off, Taako is clearly disappointed. He's not bouncing excitedly on the balls of his feet like he was before, even if he is still fighting to keep up that practised lazy smirk. The elf leans up to kiss Kravitz's cheek and pats his shoulder as he steps back. 

 

"Go on! Get your guy! Taako's good to eat alone, reaper man - you've got more important things to do. Maybe I can get Merle or Mags on the line to come join me if they're not busy." He waves a hand. "It's fine, really. Go do your thing." 

 

Kravitz sighs. This isn't the first time he's heard the same assurances masking the same quiet sadness. He frowns, looks intently over at Taako for a few moments. The look on his boyfriend's face cements his choice - besides, he's had enough of rushing out partway through the small snatches of time they get together, and he's not going to let all the work Taako has put into this evening go to waste. He shakes his head, firm in his decision. "Not this time." 

 

Taako blinks, surprise in his eyes. "You can do that? Just, not go?" 

 

The confidence Kravitz felt only a moment ago melts away. 

 

"Not... really." 

 

He thinks for a second, biting at his thumbnail in an old habit he never quite forgot from his living days. 

 

"I have to leave, I can't _not_ go when summoned, but I'm not gonna miss this one, okay? I'll finish up as quick as I can. You keep going to the restaurant - I'll meet you there, I promise." He summons his scythe into existence with a flick of his wrist. 

 

The promise is dangerous; he has no guarantee that he'll be able to take care of the problem that fast. Even so, in that moment he's prepared to do whatever he has to to keep his word, maybe even bend the rules a little if required. He tears open a hole in reality and jumps through, flesh dissolving into bare bones as he shouts, "I'll be back soon!" 

 

Taako watches him go. Kravitz's words didn't go unappreciated, but whenever he gets called away like this it's usually for hours or days, not minutes. He scuffs a foot against the ground and sighs. He's about to turn and make his way towards the restaurant to eat alone when he realises something - the rift is still open. 

 

Curiously, ears pricking, he approaches it. He'd always just assumed that the rifts closed themselves, but with the tear still hanging in the air in front of him, it seems that that isn't the case, and in his rush Kravitz has forgotten to seal it behind himself. 

 

Taako leans in for a closer look. He's squinting at the dark, rippling surface of the portal, the wizarding part of his brain trying to pick apart the magic involved, when it suddenly turns as smooth and clear as glass. Through it, he can see a forest clearing - and Kravitz, scythe in skeletal hand, cloak billowing out behind him as he cuts his way through a magical barrier and into a crowd of various undead. Behind the mass of bodies (corporeal and otherwise), a small group of necromancers is chanting some ritual, eyes raised towards the sky above. 

 

Taako turns his attention back to Kravitz, who is now making his way through the crowd. It occurs to him that for all the times he's seen that scythe in the reaper's hands, he's never witnessed him fight with it. As he considers whether or not jumping through the portal to lend a hand is a good idea, he finds himself mesmerized. 

 

Death fights like he's dancing.  

 

He's working at an incredible pace, but every movement falls to a rhythm, every step planned to time like a waltz. Even despite the sheer volume of flesh the scythe is carving into with each swing, it arcs as smoothly as a serenade, rising and falling like notes in a fatal scale. There's no sound reaching him through the surface of the portal, but watching the blade spin and twirl in the reaper's hands, Taako can almost hear it sing. He gets caught up in just watching, all thoughts of intervening forgotten as figure after figure falls to an advancing storm of blade and bone. 

 

Kravitz finally reaches the far side of the crowd, at the head of a vast swathe of ash and corpses, and wastes no time in dispatching the group of still-chanting necromancers. He separates their souls from their bodies in a single unceremonious stroke, bringing an abrupt end to the urgent, hurried song he'd been stepping to, and sweeping their essences back through a portal to the astral plane. The last of the summoned undead collapse into themselves. 

 

Death takes a moment to collect himself and make a note in his book, then turns to survey the damage, and sees Taako's face staring at him through the open portal. He stares back. Or at least he looks like he's staring, not having eyes to blink. 

 

The gap in reality winks shut without warning. Taako jumps back and screws his eyes shut against the burst of light that flashes inches from his face, glad he hadn't tried to get any closer. Seconds later, he hears another rift open up behind him. Kravitz steps through, flesh creeping over bone and ragged cloak melting into a soft silk shirt. 

 

"It, ah, appears I forgot to close the door behind me." He says. "Sorry you had to see that mess, not my cleanest work, but I didn't have time to chat. I'll have to leave to deal with that after we're done here." 

 

Taako just blinks at him. "That was... beautiful." He's surprised to hear a genuine compliment tumbling out of his mouth. "You looked like you were dancing." 

 

"Dancing? I'm a bounty hunter, not a ballerina," Kravitz says a little absently, smoothing out his suit and making sure he's reconstructed everything properly. 

 

"It looked like you were moving to music. Like a dance." Taako realises his jaw is hanging slightly open and straightens himself quickly, tries to shake the awe from his voice. "I mean like, a super murder-y, kinda scary, weird grim reaper sorta dance, but-" Kravitz is looking at him now, listening intently. Feeling his face flushing, Taako shifts his gaze down the street, feigning disinterest. "-still, even I gotta admit those were some pretty dope moves you were bustin' out there." 

 

"Oh, uh, thanks. I think." Kravitz looks a touch embarrassed. "I guess I do kind of think of it like music. A sort of symphony. I um, don't usually have an audience." He laughs a little. "Glad the performance was appreciated." 

 

"Yeah, well, don't go getting a big head - the flipwizard here can take you on any time. Anyway," Taako glances at a small pocket watch he pulls from his bag. "Shit! That was _ten minutes?!_ " He shoves the watch back into the bag. "We gotta fuckin' _go_ , fancy feet, your little baton twirler routine lasted longer than I thought." He grabs Kravitz' hand again and starts running. "And while I am _all about_ being fashionably late, there is _no way_ I'm losing the reservation for this _fancy goddamn dinner_  'cause some uppity member of staff decided we weren't coming!" 

 

"I did tell you to go on ahead, love." Kravitz says, forcing down a smirk and quickly matching his pace. 

 

Taako just makes an aggravated noise and keeps running. Kravitz smiles and lets himself be dragged along, trying not to laugh as the elf mutters under his breath about _fucking inconsiderate necromancers_ and _stupid handsome dancing reapers_. 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I like to think the raven queen pulls shit like making rifts into scrying surfaces for funsies, bc she's a supportive mother who will use every opportunity to show off her favourite son. And also possibly embarrass him.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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